Toys



June 12, 1962 p. KLAMP 3, 8 7

' TOYS Filed Feb. 23, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 h as 34 26 INVEN'TOR. 29 5 Paul Kid/77,0 27

June 12, 1962 P. KLAMP 3,038,724

TOYS

Filed Feb. 23, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 63 IN VEN TOR.

Pcz u l Kl :1 mp

United States Patent Ofifice Patented June 12, 1962 3,038,724 TOYS Paul Klamp, 22700 @t. Joan St, St. Clair Shores, Mich. Filed Feb. 23, 1960, Ser. No. 10,432 11 Claims. (Cl. 2739%) The main object of my invention is to provide a toy or amusement device comprising a rubber ball or other suitable object which is attached to a holder by means of an elastic band and is caused to pass successively through alternate openings in the holder by manual manipulation.

Another object is to limit the size of the openings so that a certain amount of skill is required to keep the ball in motion in an elongated orbit for an extended period of time.

A further object is to provide the holder with a rotor to which the ball is attached by means of the elastic band, so that continued operation will not cause the elastic band to be wound up on a non-rotating part of the toy.

Still another object is to produce a pleasant, audible response to each successful pass through each opening.

The above and other objects are attained by the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a plan View of one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross section on line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a second embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a third embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross section on line 55 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a fourth embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross section on line 77 in PEG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a fifth embodiment; and

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a sixth embodiment.

Like numerals in those embodiments which are shown in two Views refer to like parts.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2 a stem 11 of circular cross section has an integral extension 12 which forms the handle of the toy or amusement device of the invention. Stem 11 which may be made of wood, plastic or other suitable light-weight material, has a round transverse hole 13 to receive the middle portion of a length of wire 1 which is made of aluminum or other suitable light-weight material and is bent into an approximately circular loop. The free ends 15 and 16 of the wire are passed through an oblong transverse hole 17 in overlapping relation. At points 18 and 19 notches are pressed into the top and bottom surfaces of the wire so as to flatten it out slightly, thereby preventing shifting of the wire through hole 17.

A tubular rotor 20 made of suitable light-weight material, such as plastic or fiber, fits around the portion of the stem which bridges the loop formed by wire 14, so that the rotor is retained in an axial direction within the loop. The bore of the tubular rotor is larger in diameter than the stem, thus providing a noticeable amount of radial clearance or play.

An elastic band 21 made of rubber or other suitable material is provided with closed loops 22 and 23 at its ends. These loops are preferably formed by doubling over the ends of the band and cementing the free ends to the band. 'Loop 22 is securely tied to the middle of rotor 24 by means of a length of twine 24 which is passed around the rotor and through the loop and is knotted tightly with a knot 25.

A ball 26 which may be made of sponge rubber is pierced by a length of wire 27 which is bent over at 28 at one side of the ball and bent into an open hook 29 at the other side of the ball. Loop 23 of the elastic band 21 is then hooked into hook 29.

It is to be seen by reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, that the unstretched length of the band 21 is considerably greater than the radial distance from the axis of the stem 11 (upon which the rotor 20 is mounted) to any portion of the frame which is constituted by the annular or loop-shaped wire 14. This signifies that it is impossible, by a purely circular motion of the rotor and member 21 with the latter in tension, and whether it is elastic in character or not, to enable the member 21 to pass the frame wire 14 without interference. Particularly is this so, when the member 21 is in the form of an elastic band, whose length under tension may greatly exceed its untensioned length indicated in FIG. 2 of the drawings. This holds true in regard to all embodiments of the invention involving the use of a frame. It is contemplated in all forms that the ball or equivalent weight shall follow a non-circular orbit, of the relatively elongated oscillatory character illustrated in FIG. 2. The ability to master such skilled action is one of the most important objectives that my invention aims to promote.

In operation, the handle 12 is manipulated in such a way that the ball follows an elongated orbit 30, moving first upwardly in the direction of the arrow 31 while passing through opening 32 in the wire loop and then moving downwardly in the direction of arrow 33 while passing through opening 34 in the wire loop. Naturally, the elastic member 21 elongates and stretches considerably in this motion, from an upwardly stretched condition at the beginning of the stroke, through a neutral condition of non-tension, to a condition of further stretch approaching its lowermost limit. The degree to which the elastic band 21 is stretched is naturally dependent upon the vigor in which the user uses the toy.

When the ball 26 is in the downward position shown in FIG. 2, the bore of rotor 20 rests on the top surface of stem 11. When the ball approaches the upper position in its orbit, increasing tension in the elastic band causes the rotor to suddenly rotate degrees and simultaneously to move upward until the bore of the rotor contacts the bottom surface of stem 11 with an audible response.

When the ball approaches the lower position in its orbit again, increasing tension in the elastic band causes the rotor to suddenly rotate another 180 degrees and simultaneously move downward again to the position shown in PEG. 2, causing another audible response as the bore of the rotor 20 contacts the top surface of the stem 11.

The upper half of the periphery of the rotor as viewed in FIG. 2, opposite to the rubber band, is colored in a different tone than the lower half, so that each time the rotor suddenly rotates 180 degrees, a different color appears at the top of the rotor, thus adding to the attractiveness of the toy.

With skill acquired by practice, it is possible to keep the ball in its described motion for a large number of continuous passes through openings 32 and 34. As the player becomes more and more adept, he can manipulate the toy whiie either standing or walking and with either hand, or he may even master the simultaneous manipulation of two of these toys, one with his right hand and the other with his left hand.

A further way to demonstrate greater skill is to incline the frame by swinging it around .the .axis of the rotor until the frame is at an angle of 45 degrees .or so with the horizontal while keeping the ball in .motion. This is more difiicult because the effective areas of the openings are reduced.

For smaller children and beginners the game is simplified with the construction shown in FIG. 3. In opera- J tion, the ball 35 of this toy moves along the same path and causes the same audible response as the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2. But the absence of the wire loop permits a larger margin of error in the form of the orbit of the ball.

A stem 36 of a circular cross section has an integral extension 37 which forms the handle of the toy. Two collars 38 and 39 are pressed on the stem for endwise retaining of rotor 40 which is identical to rotor 20 in FIGS. 1 and 2. Ball 35 is connected to the rotor by means of the elastic band 41 in the same manner as ball 26 in FIGS. 1 and 2 is connected to the rotor 20 by the elastic band 21, as was described.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and is identical in operation to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but differs in its constructional details. It is particularly well suited for mass production. A frame 42 made of molded plastic is provided with an opening 43 therein and an integral handle 44. A rotor 45 of molded plastic is provided with an integral journal extension 46 which is received in a bore 47 in frame 42. Bore 47 provides substantial radial clearance for journal extension 46 to allow the rotor to be assembled into the frame opening through tilting and also to produce the audible response previously described when the toy is in operation.

The other end of rotor 45 is provided with a bore 48 which receives a screw 49 which passes through a hole 50 in frame 42. Hole 50 provides the same amount of radial clearance for the shank 51 of screw 49 as was provided between journal extension 46 and hole 47. Screw 49 is tightened until its threaded end bottoms in the bore 48, so that shank 51 of screw 49 forms a second journal extension of the rotor 45. Such a construction reduces the assembly time in comparison with that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and also permits easy disassembly.

A screw 52 with an open hook 53 is screwed into a cross hole 54 in the middle of rotor 45. An elastic band 55 shown in FIG. 5 and partly in FIG. 4, of the same type as the elastic band 21 in FIGS. 1 and 2, is employed to attach a ball 56, shown in FIG. 5, to the rotor 45 in the manner previously described. Ball 56 may be a hollow sphere of plastic material which is provided with slitted openings 57 which extends through the wall of said hollow sphere and are adapted to produce a faint whistling sound when the toy is in operation.

The construction according to FIGS. 6 and 7 is identical in operation to that of the embodiments previously described, but differs in its constructional details. A frame 58 made of molded plastic is provided with two openings 59 and 60 therein, a central bridge member 61 and an integral handle 62. The central bridge member 61 has a middle portion 63 of reduced cross section which is circular in shape and joins the adjacent sections of the bridge member at two shoulders 64 and 65 to retain therebetween a rotor 66 which is made of formed aluminum of magnesium wire. The rotor is assembled onto portion 63 by bending the ends 67 and 68 around portion 63 as can be seen in FIG. 7. Radial clearance is provided between these ring-shaped ends 67 and 68, respectively, and portion 63 of the frame so as to produce the audible response previously described when the toy is in operation. The rotor is provided with an outwardly bent middle portion 69 adapted for tying thereto one end of elastic band 70 which has two loop ends like the band 21 in FIG. 1.

A fly weight 71 is provided with an open hook 72 to hook in the other end of band 70. The fly weight 71 which serves the same purpose as the ball in FIGS. 1 and 2 is of streamlined shape to reduce wind resistance. It is provided with longitudinal fins 72' to reduce its tendency to spin.

FIG. 8 shows yet another embodiment of the invention. A frame 73 made of molded plastic has an opening 74 therein and is provided with an integral handle 75. Within the opening, two rotors 76 and 77 are rotatably mounted to the frame 73 in the same manner as rotor 45 is mounted to frame 42 in FIG. 4. The rotors 76 and 77 are identical in construction to that of rotor 45. A rubber ball 78 is attached to rotor 76 by an elastic band 79, while a second rubber ball 80 is attached to rotor 77 by an elastic band 81.

In operation, both balls are to be set in motion through manipulation of handle 75 so that both move in parallel elongated orbits, each being of the same configuration as the path 30 of ball 26 in FIG. 2. When the balls move upward, ball 78 passes through opening 82 while ball 80 passes through opening 83. When the balls move downward, ball 78 passes through opening 83 and ball 80 passes through opening 84.

Whereas it requires a certain amount of practice to successfully operate the toy shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 6, it requires much more practice to operate the multipleball toy shown in FIG. 8. But, once mastered, this toy affords a much greater sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. It is to be understood that the number of balls in one toy may be greater than two, even if such a toy is not illustrated.

"Without changing the basic principle of the toy, a number of mechanical alterations are possible as indicated by the various embodiments shown and described, as well by another construction which is shown in FIG. 9.

A frame 85 made of molded plastic has an opening 86 therein and an integral handle 87. Two aligned bores 88 and 89 in the frame receive the integral trunnion ends 99 and 91, respectively, of a rotor 92 made of spring wire. It has an outwardly bent middle portion 93 for tying thereto an elastic band, the other end of which is fastened to a fiy weight in the same manner as the elastic band 70 in FIG. 6 was tied to the outwardly bent portion 69 of rotor 66, and the fly weight 71 was fastened to the other end of the elastic band 70.

The rotor 92 has two right angle bends 94 and 95 which are parallel to the inward faces 96 and 97 of two integral inward frame extensions 98 and 99, respectively, thus limiting endwise motion of the rotor. Radial clearance between bores 88 and 89 and the rotor trunnion ends and 91, respectively, is provided to produce the audible response to the operation of the toy which was described previously.

The rotor 93 is assembled into the frame 85 by elastically forcing the trunnion ends 90 and 91 towards each other until they can be inserted between faces 96 and 97. When releasing the rotor, it will resume its original shape so that the trunnion ends 90 and 91 enter the bores 88 and 89, respectively.

The various forms of the device disclosed and described indicate that many mechanical alterations are possible without departing from the basic principle underlying the invention, and that further mechanical modifications can be made. It is to be understood that all modifications which fall within the scope of the appended claims are intended to be included herein.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An amusement device comprising a rotor, an annular frame across which said rotor extends having means mounting said rotor for rotary action, parts of said frame extending circumferentially in different directions from the theoretical rotary axis of said rotor and coacting with the latter in defining at least two openings, said frame being adapted to be manipulated in a direction transverse of the plane common to the frame and rotor, a weight, and an elongated stretchable tension member secured at one end to said rotor and at another end to said weight, said weight passing opposite sides of said rotor in an elongated elliptical path upon said manipulation of the frame, the weight being between one or the other of said frame parts and said rotor in so passing the latter, the length of said tension member exceeding the radial distance between the rotor and at least one of said frame parts to enable unobstructed passage of said weight and tension member through an opening defined by rotor and last named frame part only in an untensioned condition of said tension member and in a non-circular motion of the weight.

2. An amusement device in accordance with claim 1, in which said rotor is a tube to which said tension member is attached, said rotor mounting means journaling said tube with radial clearance to enable radial lost motion of the rotor tube relative to said theoretical axis as an incident to the motion of the tension member and Weight in passing through said openings.

3. An amusement device comprising a rotor, an annular frame across which said rotor extends having means mounting said rotor for rotary action, parts of said frame extending circumferentially in different directions from the theoretical rotary axis of said rotor and meeting with the latter in defining at least two openings, said frame being adapted to be manipulated in a direction transverse of the plane common to the frame and rotor, a weight, and an elongated stretchable tension member secured at one end to said rotor and at another end to said Weight, said weight passing opposite sides of said rotor in an elongated elliptical path upon said manipulation of the frame, the weight being between one or the other of said frame parts and said rotor in so passing the latter, the length of said tension member exceeding the radial distance between the rotor and at least one of said frame parts to enable unobstructed passage of said Weight and tension member through an opening defined by rotor and last named frame part only in an untensioned condition of said tension member and in a non-circular motion of the weight, said rotor mounting means being devised to enable radial lost motion of the rotor relative to said theoretical axis during said action of the rotor and the motion of the tension member and Weight in passing through said openings.

4. An amusement device in accordance With claim 3, in which said rotor mounting means comprises at least one axial bore in said frame, said rotor being provided with an axial journal extension received in said bore With radial clearance to permit said lost motion.

5. An amusement device in accordance with claim 3, in which said rotor mounting means comprises at least one axial bore in said frame, said rotor being provided with an axial journal extension received in said bore with radial clearance to permit said lost motion, said rot-or being in the form of an elongated, generally cylindrical member substantially spanning the distance between said bore and an axially opposed journal portion of said frame.

6. An amusement device in accordance with claim 3, in which said rotor mounting means comprises at least one member extending coaxially with said rotor within said frame for engagement with said rotor.

7. An amusement device in accordance with claim 3, in which said frame parts are in a common plane, and in which the frame has a handle extending axially in said plane, the axis of said rotor being aligned with said handle.

8. An amusement device in accordance'with claim 3, and comprising a further rotor similar to said first named rotor, and having means mounting the same on said frame in parallel, laterally spaced relation to said first named rotor, said rotors and frame defining three openings for the passage of said weight.

9. An amusement device in accordance with claim 3, in which said rotor mounting means comprises a bridge member in fixed relation to said frame and extending from side to side thereof, and coacting with said rotor in defining said openings, said rotor comprising a metallic element surrounding and rotatable relative to said bridge member.

10. An amusement device in accordance with claim 3, in Which said rotor mounting means comprises a pair of axially aligned, inwardly extending extensions on said frame, said rotor comprising a metallic element having trunnion ends rotatably received in said extensions with radial clearance to allow said lost motion.

1 1. An amusement device in accordance with claim 1, in which the periphery of said rotor is provided with an indicium on one par-t of the surface thereof, and with a second indicium on another part of the surface thereof spaced circumferentially of said first named surface part.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 834,077 Reiter Oct. 23, 1906 2,246,041 Halberstadter June 17, 1941 2,749,659 Elstein June 12, 1956 2,967,711 Anderson Ian. 10, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 361,845 Germany May 12, 1921 81,568 Holland May 15, 1956 

